The Outlaws
by Stellar Magic
Summary: Fix Fic! When the mercenary gunman "Red Hood" learns about a nuclear weapon being smuggled to the terrorists in Qurac he brings the whole team to stop them. Little does he know that his team will never be the same as an old enemy of his Outlaws returns, and she's got a different sort of weapon aimed at Arsenal's heart than usual. Her affections. Welcome Cheshire to The Outlaws!
1. Issue 1: Back to Qurac

_Author's Note: This is a 'fix fic' consider it AU if you want, but basically this is a story about just how much more brilliant Red Hood and the Outlaws could have been, with Cheshire instead of Starfire… and a desperate attempt to save new 52's Starfire from Lobdell. You have been warned._

_Disclaimer: Red Hood and the Outlaws are the intellectual property of DC Comics._

_Reminder: All my stories are on a monthly update schedule. Please see my profile for the schedule._

* * *

**The Outlaws**

* * *

**Issue #1: Back to Qurac**

* * *

The hot desert air burned his nose as it blew across the execution ground. Jason stared down at the sand as he saw the commandant of the Quraci guard lift the Red Hood before him and smiled. "So this… this is the face of the avenger… This is the face underneath the Red Hood? This… worn, blemished, and scarred face? You do not look like a hero Mr. Todd."

"Looks aren't everything." Jason Todd growled.

"No… they're not, as that fiery friend of yours found out rather quickly." The commandant said as he tossed the hood onto the ground at his feet. "And Mr. Harper… this is the second time you've stayed as our guest."

"Food still hasn't improved," Roy Harper said from beside Jason as he twisted against the ropes.

The commandant smiled revealing a set of golden teeth. "Still the same… I would have hoped a few months freedom would have improved your disposition. Well… it's time, isn't it?"

The commandant stepped behind a line of men armed with AKM assault rifles and clasped his hands behind his back. He smirked and Jason wished he could rip the purple beret from his head and force feed it to the man. He barked an order in Arabic and the men lifted the rifles one after another.

"You know… sometime I should learn that language." Roy muttered to himself.

Jason smirked faintly. "Bit late, isn't it."

"Nah… you've died once already. Does it hurt?" Roy asked.

"Yeah… it does," Jason cursed under his breath.

"How'd it come to this?" Roy asked.

* * *

_A week earlier… in the St. Martinique._

Roy Harper rubbed the back of his neck as he sat down at the bar and took a long pull from the Corona he'd ordered. Beside him, his 'boss' for lack of a better description, Jason Todd was drumming his fingers on the bar.

"Isn't it a little early for that?" Jason asked as he turned away from the bar and quickly scanned the patrons.

"Honestly Jason, I don't give a damn... I need a drink," Roy muttered before taking another pull from the pale beer.

"Is Kory up?" Jason asked.

Roy shook his head. "No... I just needed to get out of there. She started sleeping with that old costume under her pillow."

Jason frowned. "I thought she got rid of that stuff."

"So did I, but apparently not... I just can't stay in that bed when she's got it. It's like she's sleeping with him, you know," Roy said. "God help us if he ever ends up on our trail."

Jason snorted. "You kidding Roy, she probably wouldn't even know what she'd done until after she killed him."

Roy rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Whatever..."

Jason's phone rumbled on the table and he snatched it off the table and held it up to his ear, "Red here... shit, are you sure? Send me the location."

Roy's head shot up and he stared at Jason as his "boss" set the phone down. "You got a job?"

"Something like that, get Kory geared up and bring her back here." Roy snapped. "I've got to arrange transport to the most god forsaken place on the planet."

"Fine, fine." Roy snapped before swinging off the stool and dropping a couple bills on the counter. "What's the job?"

"I'll tell you on the flight." Jason said. "Now get going Roy!"

"Fine!" Roy growled before adjusting his baseball cap and heading out the door. What the hell has got Jason's panties in a knot? He thought before breaking into a jog to the small beachside hut that they'd gotten as their base of operations. He stomped his feet as he stepped into the living room and hurried to the smaller of the two bedrooms.

"Kory?" Roy called out as he stalked over to the queen sized mattress and leaned over the orange skinned figure of the woman. Her feet stuck out over the edge of the bed and her red hair pooled around her head as she snuggled into the pillow in her sleep. A worn uniform made of kevlar and nomex peaked out from beneath the pillow.

Roy stopped as he caught sight of the blue bird's insignia emblazoned upon the uniform's chest and swore to himself. He leaned over her and shook her shoulder.

"Grrr..." Kory growled and she tossed onto her stomach and began to hug the pillow.

Snarling under his breath Roy shook her shoulder again. "Kory!"

She jumped from the shake and lifted a hand which was enveloped in glowing purple flames. Her glowing green eyes narrowed at him for a moment before she froze and her angry expression dropped. "Roy?"

"Jesus Kory, you almost starbolted me!" Roy snapped as he stumbled back from the bed and hit the wall. "Calm down."

"I am sorry. You woke me so forcibly..." She sighed and sat upright not caring about how the thin sheets slid off her body to reveal her features. "Roy... why did you wake me?"

"Jason wants us, like right this minute." Roy said quickly. "Get your stuff, I get the feeling this is going to be a long mission."

"Does he tell us anything beforehand?" Kory groaned before rolling out of bed and grabbing a duffle bag from beneath the frame. "I will begin the packing."

Roy nodded and pulled open a drawer. He grabbed a backpack and began to hurriedly stuff a week's worth of clothes inside. Then he grabbed his bow and a quiver loaded with arrows of various types.

Starfire pulled on a rather revealing halter-top and shorts before grabbing her tamaranian battle armor from one of the drawers and began to pack it away. She finished before Roy and swung the two bags over her shoulders. "I am ready Roy."

"You always are." He muttered to himself before swapping his baseball cap and heading for the door. "We're meeting Jason at the pub, he said something about transport."

"I shall grab his bag then." Kory said.

* * *

Jason bit his lip and ran a hand through his hair. He could feel the roots of his hair needed coloring again and his natural color was beginning to reveal itself. He shook his head and leaned back in the chair. Kory was an expert at lying to herself, he thought. He wasn't a fool... despite what others thought. Jason knew what Kory was doing with Roy, perhaps more than either of them understood. The talk of self-definition and being her own person that she'd given him when he'd been under her care rose to the forefront of his mind.

He knew the truth. People are all defined by their relationships with others. That was the source of their morals, their thoughts, and their very being came from those relationships. His relationship with Bruce, with Dick, and even with Tim defined him more than his name or anything else. Jason Todd was Red Hood, the second Robin and no matter how hard he tried to run from that fact, it was who he was. Like him, Kory couldn't keep running from her past forever.

"I've got the flight." Jason said coolly as he heard his team stumble into the room behind him. "It's a good twelve hours there. I hope we won't be too late to stop it."

"What is going on Jason?" Kory asked as she dropped his bag beside him.

Jason glanced down at the tabletop. "Talia al Ghul called me, telling me about a contract. A contract she thought I might be interested in interfering in."

"Uh... so what's this contract?" Roy asked.

Jason closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "A couple years ago the League of Shadows stole six of the old Soviet Union's one kiloton nuclear weapons. This... contract was a sale between the Shadows and the Base, one nuke for ten million."

"A nuclear weapon?" Roy asked as his eyebrows disappeared into his hair. "You mean we're going after nuclear arms smugglers."

"The smugglers aren't the problem... it's who they're selling to that worries me." Jason grunted. "The Base... is a Quraci terrorist organization that's made six attacks against the United States with bombings in New York, Gotham, and Metropolis."

"We are going to Qurac then." Starfire observed coolly.

"I hate that place." Roy grumbled. "Are we destroying the bomb or what? I mean a nuke is a heavy thing."

"This one isn't... it's a KGB made backpack bomb, only weights about forty pounds," Jason growled.

"So... we're going to Qurac to grab it, and then what?" Roy asked.

"We'll worry about that when we get to it." Jason said as he stood and headed for the door. "We've got a flight to get to."

* * *

A day later, the group was crouched in the middle of the Quraci desert, huddled against a heavy slab of granite that overlooked the camp of the Base. A column of Quraci army vehicles rolled down the road to the camp led by a pair of T-72 tanks.

"Well... this doesn't look as hard as the last time we were here." Kory observed quietly. "There are only two of the tanks."

Jason nodded and smirked. "Alright, me and Roy will infiltrate the base while you provide over watch. If we call for extraction, light them up Kory."

"Easily, is there anything else you would like for me to do?" Kory asked quietly.

"No, that'll be enough." Jason observed. "Keep your radio on, we'll call you if we need you."

"I will be waiting."

* * *

"This was such a waste of time." A cool female voice growled from beneath the cat like mask that watched the Quraci woman that sat across from the table along with her husband. Beside the masked woman, a man clad in a soviet-style business suit shrugged before gesturing to the table.

She swung the backpack off and dropped it with a thump on the wood. "Your delivery." She growled under her breath in annoyance.

The Quracis nodded before setting a metal briefcase beside the backpack, which she opened. Inside a tidy sum of American dollars stared up at her and the woman smiled behind her mask. "Excellent."

The Quracis nodded again as she took the briefcase. The woman looked up at her. "We are most thankful for your delivery. The American Infidels will pay most dearly for their abuses of our people."

"I don't care for your morals or your God, Aisha." She answered.

"I understand, Cheshire, your services have been most helpful." Aisha bowed her head toward her once before Cheshire pushed out the tent flap and walked along the encampment.

Her drab green gi and mask were things that seemed easily out of place in this desert land. She tapped the two sai on her hips and pursed her lips, "I expected some sort of excitement."

The sound of a heavy booted foot kicking a loose stone drew her attention and she stepped into the shadows as two men slunk out of cover. One wore a hood of solid red that looked almost like a helmet, the second war red armor and had a bow clasped in his hands with a baseball cap pulled down tight over his head.

Cheshire gritted her teeth and looked skyward in time to see a dull purple light in the distance moving against the stars like an airplane. She pursed her lips, and marched toward a truck piled with munitions crates. The guards stared at her.

"Igla?" Cheshire snapped and one of the guard pointed to a crate. She snarled and scrambled to the five foot long package painted green and covered in Cryllic lettering. With a kick she tossed away the top and lifted the missile from its packaging. With practiced ease she slid it over her shoulder and squinted up into the night sky.

She smirked as she settled the missiles sights on the thermal bloom of the girl and flicked the arming switch. "There are intruders in the base!" She yelled, and then pulled the trigger.

* * *

Starfire gasped as a missile streaked up from the base. She dove, pushing her body as fast as it would go as the missile curved onto her tail. She could see its metal fuselage and the little fins that had snapped out from the sides after launch. A wall of condensation enveloped the missile and then it burst through breaking the sound barrier.

"I'm under fire!" She yelled into her headset as the missile closed to within a meter. Then it exploded sending shrapnel in all directions. She felt metal fletching cut into her blue armor, and the shockwave hit her like a punch. The stars spun and she gasped for breath. Her body roared with pain and she looked down to see the ground spinning as it rose up to meet her. Then there was darkness.

* * *

Cheshire smirked as the fireball lit up the night sky and dropped the smoking missile tube. Then she glanced at the guards. She scrambled onto the top of one of the piles of munitions and stood looking over the base, searching for the other two interlopers.

* * *

"Kory? What's going on?" Roy snapped into his headset as a team of guards scrambled past their hiding place. He growled in frustration. "Kory!"

"Maybe she dropped the com-link." Jason suggested from where he hid behind a crate. "It wouldn't be the first time we lost contact."

"She was in trouble that time." Roy growled. "I may complain about her sleeping with that crap, but she means something to me."

"Does she really?" An all too familiar voice asked from above them and Roy felt a cold chill run down his back. He slowly turned to look up onto the top of the crate behind them as Jason pointed his guns up toward the figure standing at the top of the crates. A mask showing a cat's face with a wide grin that echoed that of the infamous Joker from Gotham stared down at them. "Well… I guess it's a good thing I got rid of her."

"Cheshire!" Roy snapped. "What did you do to her?"

"Nothing personal, just a missile." Cheshire said and Roy could image the wicked smirk that would have played across her face at that comment.

Roy lifted his bow and drew back with an arrow when a knife slashed from Cheshire's hand and cut through his drawstring before thumping against the crate. Jason opened fire as Cheshire somersaulted forward from the crate and landed just behind the gunmen. She drew her sai as Jason tumbled forward and resumed firing, sending bullets cracking through the air around her as she dodged.

"Not bad Jason… Tell me? Are you the best our brothers and sisters in the all-caste could produce?" Cheshire asked with a smirk as she jammed a sai into the slide of one of the guns causing it to jam before kicking Jason's other wrist, knocking the pistol away. "I'm disappointed…"

"Cheshire!" Roy snapped before throwing an arrow from his quiver toward her.

She snapped out, grabbed the arrow from the air, and glared at him. "Is that the best you can do Roy?"

Jason drew a pair of blades from his boots and charged Cheshire from the back. The assassin spun and parried the strikes with her sai's before he clipped her face with a punch that knocked her mask free. Jason stared into the green grey eyes of his opponent who smiled at him. "Better, but not good enough."

With a twist of her wrist, Cheshire tore one of the all-blades from his grasp and knocked it into the ground. The she smirked. "Come on Jason… surely one as well trained as you wouldn't have trouble with a mere assassin."

"Shut up!" Jason snapped before a snap kick from Cheshire struck him in the groin and he groaned in pain. He stumble back against the crates and gasped for breath. "That's not a fair move… bitch!"

"Aww… is the little birdie angry?" Cheshire chided him. "Come on… I was hoping someone would show… jobs like this get so, boring without people like you around."

"Jade!" Roy yelled as he charged forward with an arrow in his hand. Cheshire swore under her breath as Roy tried to stab her and lashed out with a kick that knocked him off his feet and dropped him onto the sand.

"Really… if you wanted to get that close Roy, all you had to do was ask." Cheshire grinned down at him and hurled one of the sai's through the sleeve of his shirt and pinning him to the ground. "You've been a very naughty boy."

"You know this bitch?" Jason asked as he stumbled upright with his one remaining all-blade in hand.

Cheshire spun, kicking the blade from his hand and followed up with a roundhouse that caught him in the gut and smashed him into the crates. Roy watched Jason slump from the impact and swore under his breath. "You didn't… kill him did you?"

"No… life would be too boring without people like you around." Cheshire said as a swarm of guards stormed into the fight and lifted their weapons at him. "Of course… they might have something different to say about that Roy."

"Fuck." Roy grunted.

"Is that an offer?" Cheshire asked with a cruel smirk. "Maybe once I'm off the clock, but you know how business is…" She started to walk away.

"Jade!" Roy snarled before the small army of soldiers leveled their weapons toward him. "Umm…"

"Just surrender, it'll go better for the two of you…" Cheshire said before she looked over her shoulder and winked at him. Roy scowled and slowly lifted his hands as the soldiers closed in.

* * *

Starfire felt as if she was on fire, more so then usual… a burning pain ran along her sides as she woke and her head throbbed in protest. She felt a cold metal barrel pressed against the small of her back.

Snarling she rolled onto her back and hurled a starbolt straight into the stunned face of a man clad in local garb with an AK-47 clasped in his hands. It hit with enough energy to vaporize the man's head, sending a plume of smoke rising from the bloody stump that was his neck as he collapsed like a sack of potatoes.

Pain flashed through her limbs from the discharge and she felt her muscles shudder. She bit her lip, forcing the pain down, forcing it under her control. She could deal with pain. It was something she'd grown up with at the hands of the Citadel and the Psions. Still, her control and coordination was shot.

Glancing down at her robin's egg blue armor, she flinched. The whole suit was peppered with shrapnel. Bits of jagged metal were imbedded in the carbon fiber and ceramics of the suit and she knew that the damage to the suit would render it all but useless from this point on. She reached up and touched her cheek and felt a trickle of blood run down from a cut.

_I am lucky to be alive._ She wasn't invulnerable and while she was strong enough to give Wonder Woman a fight, it didn't mean that her body withstood attacks in the same manner as hers did. Energy discharges she could absorb and all tamaranians were naturally resilient and resistant to broken bones and impact damage from falling, but that did not mean a bullet or piece of shrapnel was not a threat.

The clatter of rock falling down from the hill above drew her attention and she blinked as a figure clad in black slowly walked a camel down a windy trail in the side of the hill. She squinted at him, wishing her nightvision was better, more like that of humans. It was funny that despite all her race's evolutionary advantages humans could see better in the dark.

The figure was swathed from head to toe in black and a well-trimmed grey beard encircled his face. His blue eyes glittered in the moonlight as he came to a stop before her.

Then she saw the AKM hanging from his shoulder and lit a starbolt. The man froze and stared at her for a long moment.

"Stay away!" Starfire snapped.

The man lifted his hands slowly so she could see them and stepped away from the camel. As he did, he focused on her. "Calm yourself… I mean you no harm."

Starfire blinked, in truth she had not expected the man to understand her… this was Muslim territory where the Arabian tongue was dominant, and it was one of the languages she had never absorbed on the world.

"I see you have met some of the more crazed locals." He stated before glancing at the smoking body by her side. "Come… they will be looking for you. I can offer food and shelter."

"Who are you?" Starfire asked quietly.

"My name is Alim Al-Latif." He said quietly. "Come… we must hurry, or your enemies will be upon us. They will come looking for that… fool." He pointed toward the body and Starfire swallowed. "Come!"

She staggered upright and groaned before Alim pointed toward a small building in the distance. "We will go there… it'll be a sanctuary for you."

"What is it?" She asked.

"A mosque, come!" He said again and smiled. "We can talk there… where it is safe."

She nodded and followed, not sure what else to do.


	2. Issue 2: Cheshire's Game

_Disclaimer: Red Hood and the Outlaws are the intellectual property of DC Comics._

_Reminder: All my stories are on a monthly update schedule. Please see my profile for the schedule._

* * *

**The Outlaws**

* * *

**Issue #2: Cheshire's Game**

* * *

Jason Todd groaned as the throbbing pain in his skull brought him into the waking world. Blinking in the bright light of a single bulb hanging overhead he glanced behind his back and saw that he'd been shackled to a folding chair by both his arms and legs.

"Great..." He winced at the light from from the single source over his head and scowled. "They took my hood... they actually took my fucking hood!"

"Of course we did." A woman's voice echoed in the dark room and Jason peered into the darkness. "I figured it'd be interesting to see who was behind the mask... I must say, it's rather depressing."

"Who are you?" Jason snarled. "What do you want?"

"My name? My name is unimportant." A woman stepped into the light and he glared at the heavy robes and cloak she wore. A veil covered her hair and he was surprised that her face was visible. "No... my name doesn't matter Red Hood... I just wish to ask you a few questions."

Jason snorted. "You expect me to talk?"

"No I don't... at least not without some encouragement." She walked slowly around him and Jason got the feeling of a predator stalking its prey. "Of course... we could just send you off into Allah's loving embrace if you wish to be stubborn about it."

"Do your worst... and where's the bitch that beat me? Is she too scared to come and talk to me?"

The woman laughed. "No... she volunteered to interrogate your friend."

"Roy... hell." Jason groaned.

* * *

Jade Nguyen locked the door behind her before picking up ont of the two folding chairs and spun it around before sitting in it backwards. In the dim light she saw Roy's head lolling forward his red hair now something of a wild and unkept. He was still asleep.

She decided not to disturb him, not yet. The deathly quiet gave her an opportunity to think. Now that her contract was done and paid for options stretched out before her, and she was amused by how the Quraci's had allowed her free reign after the little struggle to apprehend the two infidels.

So... what was a girl to do when her boy toy was tied up and his enemies were plotting to execute him after a couple interrogation sessions. Well, there was only one thing to do, was there.

Cheshire slipped off her mask and sat it on the table before sighing and running a hand through her wild and wiry hair before glaring at Roy. It was sickening that the two of them had been caught so easily. Red Hood was supposed to be the only remaining survivor of the All-caste, one of the League of Shadow's child organizations that had bitten the dust a few months earlier. Starfire was supposed to be a fighter on a level to confront Wonder Woman, and Roy... well, Roy was clearly not as sharp as he once was.

Though he was a bit more crazy prepared... an explosive charge in his quiver for one thing. That was new.

A groan came from the chair and Cheshire's attention was drawn back to Roy as he stirred and glared at him. "Hello Roy."

He jumped and nearly toppled his chair before glaring across at him. "You."

"Me." Cheshire grinned and glanced away from him for a moment. "You better be thankful, Aisha herself wanted first crack at you lot..."

"Aisha?"

"Oh, the buyer... you know, crazy Arab terrorist intent on causing death, destruction, mayhem... all fun things of course." She gave him a smirk. "Of course now that she has the bomb, my contract is done..."

"Then why are you here?" Roy asked.

"Why?" She leaned back and gave him a hurt expression. "You expect me to not want to spend time with you? It's been too long since we talked."

Roy glared at her. "You must be joking Chesh..."

"Oh, I don't joke... usually." She smiled coyly at him and sighed. "You just had to run off after that alien blow up doll... Tell me, does she take hickies to the next level or what?"

Roy scowled at her.

"I did enjoy shoving an Igla missile up her fiery tail-pipe but, I'm sure you've been packing something else in there... haven't you?" Cheshire's smile turned predatory. "Or have you?"

"Shut up Chesh! We're through, have been for a while." Roy snapped. "What's it matter to you? You just want to kill me for revenge, don't you?"

She scoffed. "I don't want you dead. Hurting maybe but I'd never want you dead." She rolled her eyes and leaned forward. "I was going to break you out of here but if you're going to be an ass..."

"What about Jason?" Roy asked.

"What about the loser?" Cheshire snorted. "Why are you hanging out with him, he's not exactly the most competent person you could have teamed up with?"

"You wouldn't understand."

"He rescued you from this hell-hole, big deal. You're friends, fine... but are you really willing to sit in a cell and wait for the firing squad because of that?" Cheshire asked.

"Shut up."

She smirked. "Or are you hoping I didn't hurt your firebrand that bad... hmm?"

"She'll kick you ass next time." Roy said.

"Maybe... I didn't exactly check to see if I killed her. Oops..." She rolled her eyes. "You really think she cares that much about you Roy?" Cheshire stood and leaned over the table toward him. "Only one person on this planet really loves you, and lets face it... Miss Anders isn't exactly capable of loving in a human fashion... is she?" Her smile turned wicked. "Or... at least she's not capable of loving you in that fashion."

"Shut up!" Roy snapped.

"Fine... if you really want to die for your morals and pray for her to rescue you... so be it." Cheshire stood and closed her eyes. "I tried... I guess I'll have to comfort myself with that bit of truth." She picked up the mask and slowly pulled it on, just as she felt a tear run down her cheek. She spun on him. "Do you know how hard it is for me to care about anything? My history is just as bad as hers, or have you forgotten? Do you like broken birds that much?"

"Chesh..." Roy choked.

"We've both been slaves... maybe if she's alive we can have a bonding moment at your funeral." She stared at the door. "If I can live with myself."

"Chesh!" He called out before she slammed the door shut behind her and groaned.

* * *

Starfire sat in the firelight as the man named Alim tossed a few warped pieces of wood into it's center and sat across from her. She could feel the shrapnel sticking up from the battered piece of armor and began to idly pull the metal splinters from the polymer material and toss them to the side.

They sat in silence as the man tended the fire for a few moments before she said. "I thought you said we were headed for a mosque."

"Yes, I will show you in the morning." He glanced at her for a moment then shrugged. "You are a strange one... very strange."

Starfire arched an eyebrow at him. "Are you speaking of my eyes and skin?"

"No... Allah made you in that fashion for a reason. I mean... your spirit. You are a difficult one to read."

"My spirit?" Starfire shook her head slowly. "I am not of this world, for that reason alone you would have trouble with me I think."

He chuckled. "No, I do not believe that is it. I have met others with such a marred spirit before, most turn toward violence and crime... it is a sad thing. I met one who reminded me of you a great deal not long ago. She had become an assassin... a stealthy and crafty cat amongst the lambs. This did not mean she was evil. Those that are evil do what they will for their own pleasure and vindication. Sometimes good people do evil deeds in order to survive."

Starfire closed her eyes and sighed. "I was a slave for most of my life, and a subject to torture and experimentation by my captors."

"That would be the source of your darkness, yes. Still you do not seem that dark, there is a use for lethal force even among great heroes." The man chuckled lightly. "Though I have heard talk of some that reject lethal force at all times."

Starfire felt a slight smile play across her lips. "They walk a more difficult path." She sighed and stared into the flames. "I do often have trouble understanding the logic of the no killing rule so many of them operate under. It has only grown more confusing with Jason... who has killed, but then refuses to a times when it would be for the greater good. It does not make sense."

"People do not always make sense." Alim said sagely. "My sister for example. Our parents were driven out of business by an American company. We made bells, for mosques and other places. The Americans offered better cast bells for a cheaper price, so of course they were taken instead of ours. We could not compete and so we were forced out of business and eventually into poverty. Muhammad himself knew of the viscious nature of business, he was a rug merchant and would understand the situation. My sister... she grew angry at the situation and blamed the Americans. Her hatred has blinded her and allowed Satan to possess her heart."

"My sister... she blamed me for so much and allowed much the same to happen to her." Starfire said quietly.

"Indeed, but we miss them all the same, do we not?" He chuckled faintly. "It is the desire of our heart that those we love should be with us, despite how much they harm us."

Starfire swallowed. "I... I have tried to bury such desires. Only pain has come from them."

"Truly?"

Starfire stared at Alim and slowly shook her head. "There was a man I let into my heart, shortly after I came to this world. He was kind, honorable, and driven but..." She swallowed. "He grew dark like his father, and refused my affections when he grew older. I tried to change, to be more like what he wanted but... it was not enough. It was never enough."

"That is sad." Alim said quietly. "He sounds unhappy with himself."

"He was... it has been many months since I have seen him." She sighed. "He taught me so much about this world." Her brow furrowed for a moment before she sighed and hugged her legs. "I do miss him still."

"Perhaps you should contact him."

"Jason would hate that." Starfire said quietly. "He never got along with him, and Roy..." She chewed her lip for a moment then growled in frustration. "Roy would not want me to see him, he sees me as his claim despite how I do not feel the same way as he does. We... are friends with other benefits."

Alim snorted. "You have truly only lived in the west if you believe that to be an acceptable position."

Starfire scowled. "I am certain that is a sin in your religion."

"Of course, but we all sin in various fashions. My sister is a murderer, you are an adulterer, and I... I am most certainly a blasphemer." He chuckled before standing up and picking up his pack. "To sin is human."

"I am not human." Starfire stated firmly.

"No, I guess not..." Alim said before smiling at her. "But I hope you have been on this world long enough to know what I mean."

"Yes... I have. Perhaps it means it's about time for me to go elsewhere." She said before standing. "All sapient peoples are sinners, as only sapient peoples have the knowledge of what is right and what is wrong... and all of us have done wrong at some point in our lives."

Starfire stood upright and nodded. "Yes... you say you are a blasphemer?"

"I do enjoy arguing morality with the local Mullah, it is often considered blasphemy. I believe the old grey beard enjoys it though. Come, let us go inside and see about finding you some clothes besides that sapphire armor."

* * *

Cheshire stared up at the ceiling of the tent she'd been given and scowled. Lifting an arm she glanced at a digital watch on her wrist and sighed. She stood and pulled a small usb from a pocket as she stepped out into the camp. The golden glow of the morning light lit up the eastern sky as she slipped into the shadows and made her way to the command tent.

"The only way those two dense fools will flee is together." She grumbled to herself before pushing through the tent flap and sliding into the room. Spying the newest computer she slid into the seat and plugged in the USB drive. A moment later the security window that had locked the PC disappeared and Cheshire quickly rummaged through the files.

She stopped as she saw a shipping manifest and itinerary followed by a contact she recognized. A contact she'd occassionally used when smuggling herself in or out of Gotham.

"Penguin." She grunted to herself before copying the document and a statement that the group had prepared to release on the successful completion of the attack.

Then she pulled the USB from the drive and pocketed it. The security window had returned when the tent flap opened and Aisha stepped inside with a scowl on her face. She was talking over her shoulder to a man Cheshire recognized as the prison warden. "The one calling himself Red Hood is most resistant to torture. I even resorted to an israeli method that should have loosened his tongue but it failed as well."

Cheshire winced, she was familiar with the method. "That's... impressive."

Aisha glanced at her and scowled.

"So how soon shall we put them out of their misery?" The warden asked as he stepped inside.

"A week. Our transport will arrive by then." Aisha said calmly. "Did you get much from the archer?"

"Oh... he wasn't the most cooperative sort, but I got his name at least... with these hero types that can be rather difficult." Cheshire smirked to herself knowing she could spoon feed information to them to keep them satisfied.

"We are aware, we got his name during his last stay," the warden said.

"Roy Harper... formerly known as Speedy, Arsenal, and Red Arrow." Cheshire leaned back in her seat and shrugged. "Didn't get much else... asside for the name of Red Hood."

"Ahh... I had trouble getting that from the infidel." Aisha sighed.

"His name is Jason Todd, he's from Gotham." Cheshire said with a shrug.

Aisha nodded. "Interesting, but ultimately worthless... Are you planning on leaving us for another contract Cheshire?"

"I'll stay for the execution. Roy and I have had a long history, I figure I should be here when it ends."

"Very well. We haven't been able to track down the third member yet, apparently she was not as badly hurt as you'd have thought for someone that took a SAM to the face." Aisha said.

Cheshire scowled. "I suppose I'll help the search then..." She stood and headed out the tent flap. As she left earshot, she muttered to herself. "Though I'm not sure I'll kill her or enlist her help."

A slight smirk played across her face as she glanced out at the rising desert sun. "The game is afoot."


	3. Issue 3: Strange Allies

_Disclaimer: Red Hood and the Outlaws are the intellectual property of DC Comics._

_Reminder: All my stories are on a monthly update schedule. Please see my profile for the schedule._

* * *

**The Outlaws**

* * *

**Issue #3: Strange Allies**

* * *

Starfire glanced around the inside of the mosque and blinked. The tile on the wall was a most beautiful arrangement of white and bright blue, while the floor was covered with various rugs and carpets. As Alim entered, he glanced up and nodded to a mark in the domed ceiling, turned toward it, sunk to his knees, and prayed.

She watched the strange local man that had helped her and sat down on a short couch against the wall, her tall frame nearly spilling out of it. As the man finished his prayer, he sat up and stood before letting out a sigh. "We should be safe here, for now at least."

"Is it not tradition for a holy place to be one of sanctuary?" Starfire asked quietly.

He nodded. "It is, but at times those that profess to be guided by Allah defy such traditions."

"Any who says they know the will of any supreme deity is a fool or a liar." She answered cooly. "Even the Gods which the Atlanteans and Amazons worship are not nearly equal to that of a supreme being."

"I have not heard of such deities aside for rumors." Alim said as he sat down on a couch opposite her. "Perhaps you have encountered them?"

"Perhaps." She allowed faintly. "But if one is truly a God, they cannot be killed, can they? But Amazon traditions tell of the death of some Gods. Perhaps they are merely agents of some higher being... acting out the will of X'hal or maybe it is your Allah."

"Perhaps they are one and the same." Alim observed. "Aisha would shoot me if she heard me talking of such things."

"Is she... your sister?" Starfire asked.

He nodded. "She is... I am certain she would be upset with me helping you."

"I see..." She said.

"If you will excuse me, if you intend to stay I must procure proper clothing for you to wear... here women are required to dress... 'modestly'." He chuckled faintly at that.

"Modestly is a rather subjective term." Starfire arched an eyebrow. "I would gather in such a nation it has been taken to an extreme?"

"You have no idea, do you..." He laughed.

* * *

Roy Harper groaned as the door creaked open and a woman clad in a burqa stepped inside. After a moment, he felt a bowl of water being forced against his lips and he took a drink from the cool liquid within. Then he opened his eyes and stared into the pale gaze from the woman.

"Roy Harper... well, I guess I am not surprised to see you back here." She said before sitting in the seat across from him.

"Who are you... can't really tell with the whole getup." Roy grumbled.

The woman laughed and leaned forward. "I am no one important, merely an agent of Allah's will. I put your friend through quite the extreme variety of torments, and he did not wish to tell me much of anything about himself. I was so disappointed, I wanted to learn a bit about you... 'heroes'."

Roy cursed. "Like what? You already know my name... that's more than most can say about us heroes."

"Oh, but you gave that up last time you were in our tender care." He could imagine her smile at that. "No... You know more than that, do you not? Who informed you about the exchange?"

"Don't know. Ask Red Hood... he's the one with contacts." Roy answered.

The woman snorted. "Typical, so you're just his lackey?"

"Yep." Roy said.

"Now... if that's so, maybe I can get him to talk by beating you to a pulp in front of him." The woman said. "Or... I know this really painful torment the Israelis conceived off... it works so much better on men too..."

He whimpered at that thought and saw a predatory gleam in her eyes.

"Maybe I should..." She glared at him in the dim light. "I should ask... what's the history between you and Cheshire?"

Roy swallowed. "What's it matter to you?"

"Oh... I was just wondering if she'd like to deliver that last bullet to your brain."

* * *

Cheshire clambered out of the old UAZ that she'd procured from the base and walked up to the rather worn looking Mosque at the top of the hill. Already the group had found the body of one of their men, but nothing more.

They weren't the brightest bunch, these terrorists. Therefore, she decided to head for the nearest structure, figuring that if Starfire was alive she'd need shelter and a place to recover from her wounds.

That led her to this mosque. As she approached, she put her hand on her belt and chewed her lip for a moment behind her mask.

Then she slowly pushed open the doors and stepped inside. She winced at the creak which filled the air and swore as a bolt of purple light flashed past her head and sputtered against the tile walls.

Cheshire dove out of the way and slammed against the wall. "STARFIRE!"

"You!" A shout echoed from around the corner. "What do you want?"

"The same thing you do!" Cheshire snapped back as she drew her Sai.

"LIAR!"

A shot blasted past the corner and sputtered against the tile wall. Cheshire thought it was a good thing the mosque used tile, as most anything else would have burst into flame, and fighting in a burning building was never fun. "I am not lying, you dumb alien!" She snapped back, then she rolled around the corner and leapt toward the girl, clad in the distinct blue armor that looked to be on the verge of falling apart.

A bolt of purple light flashed past her and Cheshire slapped away another blazing fist, sending a starbolt into the ceiling. She lashed out with a kick that hurtled the alien into the wall where she slumped to the ground with bits of plaster and tile crumpling down around her.

Those glowing green eyes blazed up at her, and anger flared in Cheshire's veins. She surged forward, grabbed the alien by the throat, and pressed her against the wall. Starfire began to push herself off agains the wall and Cheshire snarled. She pressed her Sai against the alien's throat and Starfire froze. "Stop struggling, you bitch!"

"You... you cannot beat me, Cheshire!"

"I don't intend to... but I think even you can't survive a slit throat." She snarled back before increasing the pressure on her throat. "Now shut up and listen!"

Starfire's glowing green eyes flared and sparked, and Cheshire felt her stomach suddenly tighten in realization. "You tried to kill me!" Starfire snapped and Cheshire smiled beneath her mask.

"Maybe... but it was just a job, now that I'm paid..."

Starfire snarled and Cheshire leapt back as twin lances of purple energy shot from her eyes, just barely missing her as she somersaulted out of the path of the beams. "Starfire!" She yelled and the alien lunged at her.

Cheshire dove out of the way and swore. "I..."

She dodged a volley of purple bolts. "Starfire!"

"Stop saying my name!" The alien yelled as she fired another starbolt and Cheshire screeched as she felt a burst of pain. The bolt burned through her mask and the acrid smell of burnt hair filled her senses as she staggered back clutching her cheek.

The mask clattered to the floor and Cheshire swallowed. "You... you... you bitch!"

Starfire set herself. "That was just a graze Cheshire!"

"Do you care anything about Roy?" Cheshire shouted as she felt tears run down from her eyes and sting as they rolled over her red cheek.

Starfire froze her green eyes wide with shock. "Roy..."

"Yes, the boy you've been banging!" Cheshire snapped. "The boy that's sitting in the Base's hands, just waiting for a bullet! THAT BOY!"

"You know nothing!" Starfire snarled.

"I know enough!" Cheshire snapped and straightened up. "I wanted to get him out, but to do that I need you help... you moron."

"Help..." Starfire murmured as if stunned. "But... but..."

"I'm a mercenary, you bitch! It's a job... I don't want to see Roy dead anymore than you do!" Cheshire snapped. "I'd have thought working for Jason you'd understand that already, but no..." She stalked toward Starfire and slapped her.

The alien clasped her cheek in shock and stepped away from her. "You... No one dares touch a princess of Tamaran in such a manner!"

"Please, you deserved it." Cheshire snapped. "Plus... I thought the Citadel did far worse to you."

The alien's face paled at her words and she snarled again, anger bubbling to the surface. "You..."

"If you want to see either of them, you'll help me!" Cheshire roared back at her, freezing her in her tracks. "Jason and Roy are depending on us... and let's not even think about that little bomb I escorted here, hmm?"

"What do you wish for me to do?" She asked as she slowly lowered her fists.

* * *

Jason Todd swore as Roy was forced down into a seat across from him and held in place by two guards. The woman slowly stalked around them. A feral and predatory smile slipped onto her lips. "Now... I've heard you hero types can't bear the suffering of others... so lets put it to the test, hmm?"

"What are you going to do to him?" Jason snapped.

The woman dropped a car battery on the table and a set of jumper cables. Slowly Jason's throat went dry as he remembered the torture from earlier. His voice turned hoarse. "You bitch... have you no decency?"

"Not for American infidels." She said with a tone that he could have sworn as gleeful. "I must give the Israelis a bit of credit for such an inventive method." She scraped the jump cables against each other sending out a blizzard of sparks.

Roy's eyes were wide. "What... where are you putting those things?"

"Remove his trousers." The woman said with a demonic smile.

"Jason?" Roy shouted.

Jason shut his eyes. "I'm sorry Roy."

* * *

Starfire swallowed as she stared at Cheshire, her heart clenched in her chest. They sat facing each other in the mosque as the sun began to set. "You... you captured them."

"Yes." She said quietly.

"Why? Why do so only to turn around and rescue them?" Starfire asked as she stared at the woman. A lump rose in her throat. "Why did you try to kill me?"

Cheshire's green-grey eyes flashed for a moment. "I had a job, I did it... now that it's over I want to help Roy." She narrowed her eyes and chewed her lip. "As for trying to kill you... You have something I want."

Starfire scowled. "I own nothing on this world... here I am but a nobody."

"No... you're not." Cheshire scoffed. "A lot of people know you Starfire. A lot of people like you. No one likes me..."

"You are an assassin." Starfire said simply. "It is natural."

Cheshire slumped against the wall and shook her head. "You don't understand... I... I want something you have." She shook her head. "No... that's too vague for you to get it. You have someone I want."

"Someone..." Starfire scowled for a moment and then her eyes went wide. Slowly she turned her gaze to Cheshire and for a fleeting moment saw a flicker of sadness slip across the mask of indifference. She gaped at her in surprise.

"Roy." Starfire murmured. "You... want him?"

She bowed her head, her wiry hair hiding her face for a moment before she nodded and closed her eyes. "I messed up with him, we worked together before... before the Outlaws and... we fought. After a while I took some contracts, joined Talia's group again and left." She swallowed and glanced down at the burned mask sitting upon her knee. "I miss him."

"Getting him captured would not help you." Starfire stated as she stood up and began to pace. After a few moments she stopped, her mind made up. "I... I will help you."

Cheshire's grey-green eyes went wide in surprise. "But... I thought, you and Roy... and..."

"We have been intimate, but love had nothing to do with it. We are friends, but I do not love him." She sighed and ran a hand through her hair for a moment. "I have not felt love in some time."

Cheshire looked at her in surprise before shrugging. "So..."

"I have needs." Starfire said quietly. "He satisfied them, that is all... at least from my perspective." She closed her eyes. "He has been very kind to me, and understanding. I have forgotten much of my life on Earth before the Outlaws."

"That's actually rather sad." Cheshire said quietly.

"If you truly wish to... 'win' him, you must join us." Starfire said.

Cheshire scowled. "That wasn't part of my plan... I'm not a team player."

"And Roy and Jason are?" Starfire asked. "We are not so much a team as a group of friends... united in mocking Jason's terrible attempts to pick up women."

"Was that a joke...?" Cheshire asked quietly.

"Perhaps," Starfire said. "Now... since I've seen your face, perhaps your true name would be better... we are all friends after all."

She snorted. "What's yours then?"

"Koriand'r... but they usually just call me Kori." Starfire smiled faintly at her. "I trust you know the name of the others?"

"Yes..." Cheshire took a deep breath. "My name is Jade... Jade Nguyen."

Starfire nodded and smiled faintly. "Then welcome to the Outlaws, friend Jade. I think we have a rescue to plan."


	4. Issue 4: Rescue

_Disclaimer: Red Hood and the Outlaws are the intellectual property of DC Comics._

_Reminder: All my stories are on a monthly update schedule. Please see my profile for the schedule._

* * *

**The Outlaws**

* * *

**Issue #4: Rescue**

* * *

He wasn't sure how long it had been, days probably. Roy thought to himself as he blinked and stared up at the gray ceiling. His body ached from the torments that their captors had set upon him.

His balls hurt, in fact they hadn't stopped hurting since that first joint session with Jason. The woman that oversaw their interrogation was a sadistic bitch in his view, there was nothing else for it. She seemed to delight in the tortures she gave the two of them.

He was starting to regret not taking Chesh up on her offer to get him out days earlier. Still, there hadn't been even a hint that she was still around, aside for the occasional mention of an assassin in the passing talk of the guards outside his cell.

Well, he thought it was assassin they said, maybe it was something else... He couldn't make heads or tails of Arabic, so they could be talking about how that sadistic bitch had pretty eyes or something.

He groaned and the door creaked open. A man clad in a guard uniform stepped into the room flanked by two armed guards. These clearly weren't the usual interrogators he'd been beset by, perhaps he was being handed over to some more civilized sorts?

"Ahh... Roy Harper." The man said and he glanced up into the man's face, after a few minutes he recognized him as the prison commandant from his last stay in Qurac.

"Funny seeing you again... did this lot ask for your advice?" Roy spat.

The commandant chuckled. "No... they invited me to oversee your disposal."

"Disposal... ahh shit." Roy growled as the two guards stumbled forward and grabbed him by the arm pits. They heaved him upright and lead him through the door.

He stumbled and felt his body muscles ache from lack of use as he was pushed down the hall. A few moments later he was pushed out into the prison's courtyard. A line of soldiers armed with rifles stood at the ready before a wall and Roy saw the familiar figure of Jason tied to a post beside the wall.

Roy swore. "Fuck... what's going on? You think America is going to like you executing a pair of their citizens."

"I doubt it." The commandant said as the guards tied Roy to one of the posts and a familiar figure clad in a burqa stepped up beside him.

"Why risk it?" Roy asked.

The woman laughed. "I believe the great devil will have far larger concerns then two of it's wayward 'heroes'."

* * *

Starfire swore under her breath as she slipped amongst the crowd that was gathering. She could hear their voices, up ahead, and glancing through the mess window of her veil she caught sight of the familiar green clad form of Cheshire scrambling along a wall, the sun backlighting her silhouette as she slowed to a stop just in position.

She came to a stop just behind the line of soldiers and swallowed. Her gaze flicked to Jason and Roy held in position by ropes. She felt rage course through her veins.

* * *

The hot desert air burned his nose as it blew across the execution ground. Jason stared down at the sand as he saw the commandant of the Quraci guard lift his Red Hood before him and smiled. "So this… this is the face of the avenger… This is the face underneath the Red Hood? This… worn, blemished, and scarred face? You do not look like a hero Mr. Todd."

"Looks aren't everything." Jason Todd growled.

"No… they're not, as that fiery friend of yours found out rather quickly." The commandant said as he tossed the hood onto the ground at his feet. "And Mr. Harper… this is the second time you've stayed as our guest."

"Food still hasn't improved," Roy Harper said from beside Jason as he twisted against the ropes.

The commandant smiled revealing a set of golden teeth. "Still the same… I would have hoped that a few months freedom would have improved your disposition. Well… it's time, isn't it?"

The commandant stepped behind a line of men armed with AKM assault rifles and clasped his hands behind his back. He smirked and Jason wished he could rip the purple beret from his head and force-feed it to the man. He barked an order in Arabic and the men lifted the rifles one after another.

"You know… sometime I should learn that language." Roy muttered to himself.

Jason smirked faintly. "Bit late, isn't it."

"Nah… you've died once already. Does it hurt?" Roy asked.

"Yeah… it does," Jason cursed under his breath.

"How'd it come to this?" Roy asked.

Jason chuckled darkly. "How it always does... we fucked up Roy." He glanced up at the line of mean and sighed. "Just hurry up, I'm sure hell's got a room all lined up waiting for me."

Then a series of smoke pellets dropped before the line of shooters. The commandant coughed, drew a pistol from his hip, and shouted in Arabic.

Then a purple starbolt struck the man in the back, burning through him and dropping him to the ground.

A green clad figure dropped between Roy, Jason, and the gunmen hidden behind the smoke screen. Roy stared at the familiar wiry black hair of the woman and gaped as she drew a pair of Sai and charged into the smoke.

"Oh hell..." Roy grumbled. "She's never going to let me live this down."

There was a shout, the burqa-clad figure scrambled out from the smoke, a Krinkov appeared from a fold in her clothes, and she let loose with a barrage of gunfire.

Cheshire rolled into view, leaping and dodging the volley of rounds and leapt forward. One of the Sai's tips pierced the veil of burqa as she twisted away from the blow. It tore the veil from the woman's head revealing a woman with dark hair and an Arabic complexion. She tossed aside the rifle. Her brown eyes glared up at Cheshire and she drew a scimitar.

"So… Aisha knows how to fight?" Cheshire asked.

The woman snorted. "Do you think they would follow me if I couldn't?" She snarled and stepped forward. She slashed twice with the sword and forced Cheshire to leap clear of the flash of the sword. "Why are you fighting for them Cheshire?"

"I told you we had a history... You just assumed it was a hostile one." Cheshire answered before charging forward and slashing at the woman with her Sai. Sparks shot from the blades as they collided and Cheshire twisted the Sai trying to pull the scimitar from her hands.

Then a purple starbolt shot past her head and burned a hole in Aisha's clothes. With a snarl she stepped back and glanced around, searching for the second threat.

Roy stared as a figure clad in a burqa strode from the crowd, her hands wreathed in purple flames. Aisha spun toward the woman and swore. "So it is true... you did survive Cheshire's little attack."

"I am far hardier than I appear." Starfire's voice growled from the figure as she ripped the veil off and tossed it to the ground beside the Arab woman. "Perhaps you should have remembered that, or remembered that Cheshire is only loyal for the term of her contract."

Cheshire snickered. "You know. I was sorely tempted to steal that toy of yours back once you paid me."

"Bitch." Aisha snapped and pulled a pistol. Starfire dodged as rounds cracked past her.

Cheshire snarled and hurled her Sai, catching the gun in the slide and knocking it from Aisha's hand. The woman spun toward her and charged, raising the scimitar over her head to make a slash.

She tumbled away from the slash, rolling across the ground and glaring up at the woman through her mask. "Get our two idiots Starfire, before Aisha here gets friends!"

She leapt to her feet and danced over another sword strike before pulling her newest war trophies from a boot. With a snarl, she blocked the downward slash of the scimitar from the all-blade she'd taken from Jason and smirked behind her mask.

"Hey, those are mine!" Jason snapped.

Cheshire countered another slash and scoffed. "Yeah, and you can't use them worth crap... stick to guns next time Jason!"

"Fuck!"

Roy strained against his binds as Starfire picked up one of Sai and slashed through the ropes. With a yelp, he fell to the ground.

Jason snarled as he strained against the ropes. "Damn it Cheshire!"

Cheshire snorted and countered another blow before lashing out and scratching a line along Aisha's cheek. The Arabic fighter stumbled and glared at her after touching her cheek. Then she slashed again, cutting the green gi Cheshire wore as she twisted out of the way.

"Oh, you've done it now..." Cheshire said as she caught the scimitar with an all-blade and twisted it from Aisha's grip. The scimitar clattered across the sand and Aisha stumbled back, her eyes wide.

Cheshire slowly raised the blade toward the woman's throat. "I'm a professional Aisha, you are an amateur."

The crackle of mortar breaking free of a wall filled the air and Cheshire felt a chill run down her back as she heard the distinct rumble of a diesel engine. She pivoted and turned to the wall just as the tan armored hull of a T-72 tank crashed through, its commander swinging the massive heavy machine gun to bear toward her.

"Perhaps... but I have Allah on my side." With that statement, Aisha surged forward, grabbed the blade and twisted it from her grip. She tossed the weapon aside and Cheshire watched it snap under the tread of the tank.

A purple starbolt blasted through the air and struck the tank commander. He screamed before bursting into flames and tumbling into the turret. Already the whirr of the turrets gears filled the air and Cheshire ducked the swinging metal barrel of its main cannon before scrambling toward one of her dropped Sai.

The crack of rifle rounds filled the air and Cheshire dropped behind the tank. Sparks shot from metal monster as bullets ricocheted off its hull.

"Someone help me!" Jason yelled and Cheshire swore. More rifle rounds rend the air and the turret turned over her head.

"Well fuck... Roy? Can you fucking move?"

"Uhh... I think so." Roy answered before a burst of swearing came from his position. With a glance Cheshire saw that rifle rounds were kicking up dirt all around where he lay. "Fuck it! I'm pinned down!"

"Starfire!" Cheshire snapped.

"Very well..." She sounded almost bored and a glance to the wall showed the alien standing in the midst of the gun battle, purple energy enveloping her hands. Then she hurled bolts into the mass of soldiers.

The gunfire stopped and Cheshire stumbled to her feet. She coughed as the smell of burnt flesh washed over them and glanced at the tank. With a sigh, she clambered aboard, plucked a grenade from her belt, and dropped it in the hatch as Starfire tore Jason free.

The 'leader' of the group stumbled forward for a moment before reaching down and grabbing a familiar red mask from the ground where the commandant had dropped it. Pulling it on he walked over to one of the bodies and grabbed a pistol from its holster.

"Wait... where is Aisha? Fuck... where's the nuke?" Jason suddenly snapped as he glanced around the courtyard.

"Gone... ran when the soldiers arrived." Starfire stated. "Do you want me to find her?"

"Fuck, she has the nuke still!" Jason said. "We need to find her and stop her."

"Why do that, when I know exactly where she's going?" Cheshire asked and the others turned to face her. "What, you expect me to just hand over a nuclear weapon without trying to figure out what the target is? I'm not a complete monster."

"Where?" Jason growled.

"Southern Dock Number Four, Potter Street, Gotham City... in seven days. Penguin is doing the transport." Cheshire said with an almost gleeful tone. "I wonder if I should just tell Bats it's coming... or Tahlia, I'm sure she'd like to see little Damien get flash fried."

Jason stared at her as Roy let out a sigh. "Roy... you worked with this woman?"

"Are you kidding?" Cheshire flipped up her mask and grinned at him. "We're old friends... me and him. I've missed him so much..."

Roy sputtered and glanced nervously at Starfire.

"If you wish to make up with her, I shall not mind." Starfire said before shrugging. "Perhaps we can come to some sort of agreement... or schedule."

"You must be fucking kidding me." Jason muttered as he searched for a second pistol amongst the bodies of the fallen.

"But... but... Star!" Roy stammered.

"I believe I told you, love had nothing to do with it. The same may not be said for Jade." Starfire smirked faintly seeing the confusion on Roy's face. "She wishes to join up with us... I agreed."

"Well... she did beat us all by herself." Jason admitted.

"But... she's nuts!" Roy snapped.

Cheshire snorted and glanced around the group. "Are you kidding? I thought that was a qualification."

"It is... and thanks for the rescue." Jason said as he holstered a second pistol. "Let's get out of here."

"Wait... you're letting her join up?" Roy gaped.

Jason's voice hinted at the smirk hidden beneath the mask. "Why not? Maybe Kory and I just love seeing you squirm."

Cheshire grinned at Roy. "You'll see... it'll be just like old times!"

"Why don't we all just check ourselves into Arkham when we get there?" Roy murmured and shook his head as they all laughed.


End file.
